Written by Scott Edwards  James Bond is back in business and finds himself near a familiar face as Tracy walks back into his life. After saving her from committing suicide, he is shocked to see her in the same casino that he is playing baccarat in. After she tries to make some quick money and fails on the table, Bond pays her debt and is invited up to her room. Finding a stranger in the room, Bond has to dispense with the formalities and turn his attention to surviving once again. Meeting up with Tracy after the little skirmish, Bond is invited hard to visit Draco and listen to a proposal of a lifetime. Draco is worried about his daughter Tracy and will do anything to see her happy and more importantly safe in life and thinks that he has found the man to do it. Offering Bond, a million pounds to take the plunge with his daughter, Bond respectfully declines, but that door does not close the door completely when he finds out that Draco might have a lead on his old friend Blofeld. Agreeing to see Tracy as long as he can get information on the mad man, Bond gets the best lead possible, but when he returns and talks to M, he finds out that he has been removed from the case. Not wanting to give in, Bond offers his resignation, effective immediately, but Moneypenny in her normal fashion is able to spin the story and keep 007 from throwing away his life. Being granted a two week leave, Bond decides to jump back on the case and is able to find out that Blofeld is trying to prove that he is a count and operating out of a clinic hidden high in the Alps. Finding a way in, Bond assumes the role of Sir Hilary Bray, a genealogist who was contacted by Blofeld to prove his lifeline. Arriving in Switzerland, Bond is greeted by Blofeld’s goons and taken to his allergy research facility on the top of a mountain. With no admittance to the normal public, Bond is on his own, but has no trouble in passing the time when he finds out that the only patients in the facility are twelve beautiful woman.  Not being able to tone back his normal ways, Bond has no problem in seducing the patients to gain information and when he becomes privy to hearing Blofeld’s hypnoses tactics with women, he knows that there is a more sinister plan in play. When his real identity is found out after being caught sneaking into one of the girl's rooms, Blofeld comes clean about his plan since 007 will not be with the living for very much longer. Wanting to unleash a bioweapon on the world, one to which he is the only one that has the cure, Blofeld will not be stopped by anyone, much less the MI6 agent that has been able to sneak past his defenses. Being thrown out in the cold of the Alps to freeze to death, Bond is able to find a way back into the facility and hear what Blofeld’s recording is telling the girls and when they are all sent on their way, Bond finds a way back down the mountain to civilization.
When trying to remain unseen, Tracy appears out of nowhere and becomes his only way out of the mountains. Trying to find a phone, Blofeld’s goons are hot on his tail, and he finds out that Tracy has several talents he has not been made aware of. Being able to find sanctuary in an abandoned barn, Bond knows what he wants, to be with Tracy for the rest of his life. Proposing, Tracy accepts and although the two are being hunted, their love will not pass. Fighting their way down the mountains, Blofeld’s goons and an avalanche slow down the couple as they enjoy a brief moment of freedom. When Tracy loses her balance and gets caught up in the snow, she is taken by Blofeld’s men and returned to his facility where he is about the run the world from. Returning to London, Bond is once again removed from the assignment, but this time he has an ace in the hole. Calling on Draco, preparations for a rescue mission are in place. Bond and Draco will not stop until they get the woman they love back in one piece, along with a little bit of revenge. I really do not get the hate that has been thrown at this movie over the years. Although George Lazenby was only Bond for one film, he did it in a fantastic fashion while taking over for a legend. The story is sound and Lazenby did exactly what he had to do while battling through a difficult production. This movie should have taken the Bond movies to the next level while several people, including the primary producer Albert Broccoli disagreed and tried give the series a jump start by bringing back Sean Connery. Making a movie is hard and the first-time director Peter Hunt had a hard time pleasing everyone and had to take it out on his lead actor trying to push him to a performance the no one could attain, and while Lazenby gave it his all, he encompassed the role better than anyone could have under the circumstances. One of the better storylines in the Bond series that many people will overlook due to what they have heard over the years. Watch it again, while it is not as good as Skyfall, it does rival many of the stories that followed it. I hate to spend my time in defending the movie, especially since it is one of the better stories and Bond actually got married!!! Who would have known and even though it was a brief moment in time, he will always have a special place in his heart for Tracy and a bullet with Blofeld’s name on it. Enjoy, Shaken, not Stirred. This movie was also the subject of an episode of Movie Mumble, so, to continue the discussion surrounding this movie, visit Episode 7 of Movie Mumble, right here.
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